A magnetic recording medium reading and writing device in which reading and writing operations for a magnetic recording medium taken into in various directions or postures are performed at a high speed has been proposed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-286108).
The magnetic recording medium reading and writing device which is described in the Patent Reference is arranged on one side in a short widthwise direction of a magnetic recording medium to be carried with a first reading and writing unit, which includes a magnetic head abutting with the magnetic recording medium from a lower side and a second reading and writing unit which includes a magnetic head abutting with the magnetic recording medium from an upper side. Further, the magnetic recording medium reading and writing device is also arranged on the other side in the short widthwise direction of the magnetic recording medium with a third reading and writing unit, which includes a magnetic head abutting with the magnetic recording medium from the lower side and a fourth reading and writing unit which includes a magnetic head abutting with the magnetic recording medium from the upper side. The first reading and writing unit, the second reading and writing unit, the third reading and writing unit, and the fourth reading and writing unit are disposed in a card feeding direction in this order.
In the magnetic recording medium reading and writing device as described in the Patent Reference, reading and writing operations for a magnetic recording medium are performed at a high speed regardless of a taking-in direction of a magnetic recording medium. The magnetic recording medium reading and writing device is usable in an application like an automatic ticket checking device in a station where a high degree of accuracy is not required at a recording position (truck position) of magnetic information in the short widthwise direction of the magnetic recording medium. However, it is difficult to use the magnetic recording medium reading and writing device in an application where a truck position requires a high degree of accuracy. In other words, the above-mentioned magnetic recording medium reading and writing device is difficult to adequately perform reproducing operation of information recorded on a card or recording operation of information on a card whose truck position requires a high degree of accuracy.